1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for controlling a caster wheel on a farm implement.
2. Discussions of the Prior Art
Farm implements such as crop sprayers include elongated booms pivotally connected to a trailer for rotation between a transport position in which the booms are aligned with the direction of vehicle travel and a use position in which the booms extend outwardly, perpendicular to the direction of vehicle travel. On currently available implements, the boom movement is controlled by the operator from the tractor seat. Examples of such implements are described in Canadian Pat. No. 1,230,866, which issued to G.S. Pask on Dec. 29, 1987 and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,324,956, which issued to W.D. Ritchie on June 13, 1967; 3,700,042, which issued to R.E. Patterson et al on Oct. 24, 1972 and 3,701,385, which issued to R.E. Patterson et al on Oct. 31, 1972.
In general, the patented devices are somewhat complicated or do not provide a satisfactory solution to the problem of controlling the boom supporting wheels from the driver's seat. The problems in this case include the controlled locking of the wheels in the transport position, simple unlocking of the wheels for free castering movement, and the orienting of the wheels to enable quick change between the transport and use or field positions.
The object of the present invention is to provide a solution to the above identified problems by providing a relatively simple apparatus for controlling a caster wheel or wheel assembly on a farm implement which facilitates locking and unlocking of the wheel, and the orienting of the wheel to enable quick conversion from one condition to another, i.e. free castering to locked and vice versa.